The origins and effects of public servant confidence in whistleblowing protection regimes

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Doberstein, Carey; Charbonneau, Etienne
• 署名单位: University of British Columbia; University of Quebec; Ecole National Administration Publique Canada
• 刊物名称: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-3298
• DOI: 10.1111/padm.12644
• 发表日期: 2020
• 页码: 643-658
• 关键词: government; intentions; silence

摘要

We examine the various whistleblowing regimes in Canada which, across 13 provinces and territories and a single federal government, exhibits theoretically interesting variation on procedures, incentives and protections that are well positioned for comparative analysis. Drawing on a panel of Canadian public servants, we conducted a survey with both descriptive and experimental dimensions to identify and measure knowledge and confidence in the context of diverse whistleblowing regimes, and how that relates to perceptions of the legitimacy of unauthorized public disclosures. We find that confidence is high among public servants despite variation in the structure of whistleblowing regimes, is enhanced when respondents know the number of reported wrongdoings and their results, and that greater knowledge of whistleblowing protections delegitimizes unauthorized public disclosures (e.g., leaking to the media) of alleged wrongdoing.